Eyeglass case



Feb. 20, 1934.

H. J. FARRINGTON EYEGLASS CASE Filed Jan. 2l, 1955 far. :Y

Paten'ted F eb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-*ICE EYEGLASS CASE Application January 21, 1933. Serial No. 652,869 6 claims. (ci. 2067-6)l Heretofore it has been customary to make eyeglass cases of pressed metal, the bottom having upturned ends and an inturned lip along thel front, and the top being arched in both dimensions so that it seats on the bottom lip and said ends along its downwardly directed edge This construction results in a poor nt between the top and bottom, chiefly because the lower edge of the top can not be accurately positioned in a single plane in the shaping process; consequently it presents an unsightly appearance and admits dust. When the metal is covered with fabric or the like, as it usually is, the raw downturned edge of the cover tends to cut through the covering material as this edge repeatedly snaps against thebottom in closing the case.

It has also been proposed to incline the bottom lip upwardly toward the rear at'approximately the same inclination as that of the arched top so that the overlapping portions are approximately parallel. While this arrangement tends to reduce the wear on'the forward edge of the top, it involves diiculties of manufacture, particularly if the top is arched from end to end as well as from front to back, and it involves a shap-Y 4a case which can readily be shaped to close tightly by economical metal shaping machinery, which is substantially dustproof and more sightly in appearance, which has little tendency to cut the covering material where the top and bottom seat together, which has increased strength, which holds the spectacles against movement in the case and which is generally superior to prior cases of this general type.

According to this invention the usual continuous arching of the top is preserved, throughout substantially the entire width and length of the top, thereby preserving the optimum shape of the interior of the case for close connement of the eyeglasses without distortion. Moreover, the

shape of the bottom lip need not be altered from volves a change in the construction of the periph- This flange may be formed in the swaging opera tion of shaping the top without additional cost and in fact it simpliiiestheshaping operation. Instead of having to use metal of uniform and unvarying ductility, cutting the blanks with precision, and eo4 accurately cupping the blanks, so that the downturnedV edges will seat fairly evenly on the bottom throughout the periphery of the top, these costly factors are eliminated. By the provision of the outturned iiange on the top, variations of ductility, precision of cutting and degree of flow in shaping only affect the width of the narrow flange without mitigating against tight closure between top and'bottom inasmuch as the ilange seats sidewise against the bottom. Moreover the niarginal flange greatly increases the strength of the top so that the oase retains its tight-closing character throughout a long life, with or without hard usage. Furthermore it affords protection against accidental detachment ofl the top lining around the edges in opening and closing the case since the lip tends to prevent the fingers from slipping against the edge of the lining, especially inthe preferred construction where the lining terminates short of the junction between the lip and 30 the arched portion of the top.

Y For the purpose of illustration the preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the faccompanying drawing in which,

Figs. 1 and 2 are plan and end views respec- 35:. tively; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on lines 3-3 and 4 4 of Fig. 1.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises 90. a bottom 1 having upturned ends 2 and an inturned lip 3 at the front, the upper surface of the lip being substantially flat and approximately parallel with the plane dened by the upper edges of the ends 2, and a top 4 hinged to the bottom 95 and sides, the top being arched from back to front as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and from end to end as shown in Fig. 4, with an outturned ange 6 extending along the front and ends of the top so that its lower face seats sidewise against the lip 3 and the upper edges of the ends 2 of the bottom. The top and bottom are covered on the outside by a continuous sheet 7 of fabric or the like, the marginal portions of which are turned under the edges of the top and bottom at the front and ends as indicated at 8 and 9. The inside of the top and bottom is then covered with a continuous sheet 10 of lining material which overlaps the inturned edges of the outside lining at both ends of the top and bottom and at the Il@ front of the top but which terminates short at the junction between the arched central portion of the top and the flange 6. The outside and inside coverings are preferably cemented in position.

From the foregoing it will be evident that this improved case can readily be shaped to close tightly by ordinary metal-shaping machinery, that the interior of the case has the contour which is now generally accepted as being the best for the purpose of closely confining the eyeglasses without distortion and that, by virtue of the iiat- Wise contact between the flange 6 and the lip 3, there is no tendency to cut the outside covering material When the top snaps against the bottom in closing the case. It will also be observed from Fig. 3 that the flange 6 projects slightly beyond the bottom lip 3 at the center of the case, thereby facilitating the opening of the case; and inasmuch as the lining 10 stops short of the junction between the arched.- portion of the top and thelip 6 there is very little danger ofthe edge of the lining being pulled loose from the top by accidentally sliding the nger inwardly alongthe lower surface of the top in the operation of opening the case.

Inasmuch as covers for eyeglass cases have curved edges at the front and/orend sides it is. impracticable to form` flanges along these edgesby bending or folding operations, but by employing a swaged ange the curved edges may be shaped without difculty, the ange may be continuous and unbroken at the corners and it may be completely formed in the same stamping operation customarily employed in shaping the cover without addingv any further operation to the-process of manufacture.

Itshould be understood that the present disclosure is forthe purpose of illustration only and that/,this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fail within the scope of the appendedl claims.

I- claim:

l.V An eyeglass case'comprising a hollow bottom having an in-turned lip along the front, and a pressed-metal top hingedv to the back of the bot-` torn, the'top being arched from back. to front and having at the front an out-turned flange substantially parallel with said lip so that the flange seats sidewise on the lip.

2. An eyeglass case comprising a hollow bottom having end Walls and an in-turned lip along the front, and a pressed-metal top hinged to the back of the bottom, the top being arched from back to front andV end to end and having at the front and ends out-turned ianges seating sidewise on said lip and end walls.

3'. An eyeglass case comprising a hollow bottom having end Walls and a front wall provided with an in-turned lip whose upper surface is substantially iiush with the top surfaces of the end walls, anda pressed-metal top hinged to the back of the bottom, the top being arched from back to front and end.Y to end and having a continuous outturned flange extending along the front and ends to-seat sidewise on said lip and. end walls.

4. An eyeglass case comprising a hollow bottom having end walls and a front wall provided with an in-turnedlip whose top surface lies in substantially thesame plane as the top surfaces of the end walls, and a pressed-metal top arched from backto front with a flat out-turned flange which, when the case is closed, is substantially parallel with said plane so as to seat snugly on said top surfaces of the lip and end walls.

5. An eyeglasscase comprising a hollow bottom having an in-turned lip along the front, a pressed-metal top hinged to the back of the bottom, the top'being arched from back to front and having at the front an out-turned flange substantially parallel with said lipso that the ange seats sidewise on the lip, and a lining substantially covering the arched portion of the top but terminating short of said flange.

6. An eyeglass case comprising a hollowv bottom having an in-turnedY lip along the front, a pressedmetal top hinged to the back of the bottom', the top being arched from back to front and having at the iront an out-turned flange substantially parallel with said lip so that thev ange seats sidewise on the lip, and being covered with a sheet folded around the flange and overlapping the inside of the arched portion, andv a lining overlapping the edge of said sheet but terminating short of the flange.

HARRY J. FARRINGTON. 

